Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Sidi Bel Abbes Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Sidi Bel Abbes

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $614 in Sidi Bel Abbes, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $952 in Sidi Bel Abbes, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,289 in Sidi Bel Abbes, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 39% more than Sidi Bel Abbes, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Sidi Bel Abbes are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Sidi Bel Abbes 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$3.28 DZD 434

-37.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$21.15 DZD 2,796

-11.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$3.93 DZD 519

100.00%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$0.37 DZD 49.31

448.65%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.60 DZD 79.3

33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.27 DZD 35.53

29.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$1.98 DZD 261

8.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$2.34 DZD 310

56.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.02 DZD 135

69.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.07 DZD 9.45

2142.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.57 DZD 207

-23.57%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$1.81 DZD 239

8.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$9.12 DZD 1,205

77.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$5.18 DZD 685

-40.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$16.64 DZD 2,200

-35.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$3.10 DZD 409

-10.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$2.87 DZD 380

-59.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$1.69 DZD 224

1.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$0.80 DZD 106

98.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$0.56 DZD 73.5

148.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$0.50 DZD 65.5

132.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.66 DZD 86.7

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.37 DZD 49.56

40.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$2.73 DZD 361

70.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$9.09 DZD 1,202

95.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$1.36 DZD 179

31.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$2.14 DZD 283

56.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.23 DZD 29.96

295.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$17.09 DZD 2,259

9.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$0.74 DZD 97.5

90.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.37 DZD 48.31

262.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$5.35 DZD 707

51.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$0.34 DZD 44.82

261.76%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$32.0K DZD 4.2M

-33.01%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$34.1K DZD 4.5M

-35.93%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$71.3 ฿2,379

$40.09 DZD 5,300

77.92%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$14.01 ฿467

$9.37 DZD 1,238

49.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$16.83 DZD 2,226

6.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$18.04 DZD 2,385

126.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$5.42 DZD 717

5.54%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$308 ฿10.3K

$95.2 DZD 12.6K

223.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$3,660 DZD 483.9K

301.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$36.91 DZD 4,880

51.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$44.81 DZD 5,925

-41.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$75.8 DZD 10.0K

11.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$78.3 DZD 10.4K

-9.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$194 DZD 25.7K

117.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$116 DZD 15.4K

108.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$275 DZD 36.3K

190.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$181 DZD 23.9K

180.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$1,192 DZD 157.6K

60.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$1,281 DZD 169.4K

14.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$350 DZD 46.2K

70.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.42

-7.75%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Sidi Bel Abbes: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $194 in Sidi Bel Abbes. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 70% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $21.00 in Sidi Bel Abbes. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $210 in Sidi Bel Abbes – so Sidi Bel Abbes wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Chiang Mai vs Sidi Bel Abbes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 39% more than Sidi Bel Abbes, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $921 in Sidi Bel Abbes. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sidi Bel Abbes, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $95.2 in Sidi Bel Abbes. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $614 in Sidi Bel Abbes, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sidi Bel Abbes costs $614 versus $852 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Sidi Bel Abbes. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.